Visconti hospitalised with infection

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Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) has shed light on how his off-season is going so far tweeting that the aftermath of a crash during Il Lombardia has left him with a haematoma and an escalating infection requiring the 30-year-old to be hospitalised. Visconti was one of many riders to come down on wet roads during the final classic of the season but still managed to finish in 32nd position. Despite the haematoma Visconti travelled to and completed the Tour of Beijing after Il Lombardia, but it appears the situation has worsened.

"Hospitalised in Florence. Il Lombardia left me with a haematoma and infection that mean now I cannot even walk.. it's OK," he tweeted.

Visconti, a professional since 2005, has signed on with Movistar through to 2015. Having started his season in January the past two years, at the Tour Down Under and the Tour de San Luis respectively, Visconti will now be under pressure to recover and begin his pre-season training following this setback. Visconti was strong in mid-2013 with two stage victories, two podiums and a third overall in the king of the mountains classification at the Giro d'Italia in May.

With their sponsorship confirmed until 2016, Movistar have been busy recruiting announcing recently that they have signed Dayer Quintana -brother of Nairo-, John Gadret, Adriano Malori, Jasha Sütterlin, brothers Ion and Gorka Izagirre Insausti as well as Juan Jose Lobato.